Ten Gods (Shishen) in BaZi
The Ten Gods describe how different elemental forces interact with the Day Master in a BaZi chart.
What Are the Ten Gods in BaZi?
In BaZi (Four Pillars astrology), the Ten Gods are symbolic relationship types derived from the Day Master through interactions of the Five Elements and Yin–Yang polarity.
The Ten Gods include: Friend (比肩), Rob Wealth (劫财), Eating God (食神), Hurting Officer (伤官), Direct Wealth (正财), Indirect Wealth (偏财), Direct Officer (正官), Seven Killings (七杀), Direct Resource (正印), Indirect Resource (偏印).
The formation rule can be summarized as: Day Master × Element interaction × Yin–Yang polarity. A BaZi chart usually contains multiple Ten Gods, and their strength, position, and combinations shape the overall structure of the chart.
How Are Ten Gods Calculated in BaZi?
① Identify Your Day Master
All Ten Gods are defined relative to your Day Master, the core reference point of a BaZi chart.
② Five-Element Relations
WoodgeneratesFirecontrolsEarth
FiregeneratesEarthcontrolsMetal
EarthgeneratesMetalcontrolsWater
MetalgeneratesWatercontrolsWood
WatergeneratesWoodcontrolsFire
③ Yin & Yang Stems
YangJia · Bing · Wu · Geng · Ren
YinYi · Ding · Ji · Xin · Gui
④ Map to Ten Gods
Same ElementPeers
SameFriend
OppositeRob Wealth
Generates MeResource
SameIndirect Resource
OppositeDirect Resource
I GenerateOutput
SameEating God
OppositeHurting Officer
Restrains MePower
SameSeven Killings
OppositeDirect Officer
I ControlWealth
SameIndirect Wealth
OppositeDirect Wealth
Want to see your Ten Gods instantly? Use our BaZi calculator to generate your chart and reveal your Ten-God structure.
BaZi Ten Gods Table for Each Day Master
Find your Day Master on the left, then match it with the Heavenly Stem across the top to see the corresponding Ten God. Click any row header to open that Day Master guide.
| DayMaster | JiaWood | YiWood | BingFire | DingFire | WuEarth | JiEarth | GengMetal | XinMetal | RenWater | GuiWater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jia Wood | Friend | Rob Wealth | Eating God | Hurting Officer | Indirect Wealth | Direct Wealth | Seven Killings | Direct Officer | Indirect Resource | Direct Resource |
Yi Wood | Rob Wealth | Friend | Hurting Officer | Eating God | Direct Wealth | Indirect Wealth | Direct Officer | Seven Killings | Direct Resource | Indirect Resource |
Bing Fire | Indirect Resource | Direct Resource | Friend | Rob Wealth | Eating God | Hurting Officer | Indirect Wealth | Direct Wealth | Seven Killings | Direct Officer |
Ding Fire | Direct Resource | Indirect Resource | Rob Wealth | Friend | Hurting Officer | Eating God | Direct Wealth | Indirect Wealth | Direct Officer | Seven Killings |
Wu Earth | Seven Killings | Direct Officer | Indirect Resource | Direct Resource | Friend | Rob Wealth | Eating God | Hurting Officer | Indirect Wealth | Direct Wealth |
Ji Earth | Direct Officer | Seven Killings | Direct Resource | Indirect Resource | Rob Wealth | Friend | Hurting Officer | Eating God | Direct Wealth | Indirect Wealth |
Geng Metal | Indirect Wealth | Direct Wealth | Seven Killings | Direct Officer | Indirect Resource | Direct Resource | Friend | Rob Wealth | Eating God | Hurting Officer |
Xin Metal | Direct Wealth | Indirect Wealth | Direct Officer | Seven Killings | Direct Resource | Indirect Resource | Rob Wealth | Friend | Hurting Officer | Eating God |
Ren Water | Eating God | Hurting Officer | Indirect Wealth | Direct Wealth | Seven Killings | Direct Officer | Indirect Resource | Direct Resource | Friend | Rob Wealth |
Gui Water | Hurting Officer | Eating God | Direct Wealth | Indirect Wealth | Direct Officer | Seven Killings | Direct Resource | Indirect Resource | Rob Wealth | Friend |
What Do Ten Gods Mean in Each Pillar?
🌱 Roots
Year
Roots & Early Life
Family background and early environment.
🏛️ Platform
Month
Growth System & Structure
Family resources, and social structure.
💞 Core
Day
Self & Intimacy
Self identity and close relationships.
🚀 Future
Hour
Future & Long-Term Output
Long-term direction and hidden potential.
Pillars show where a theme tends to surface, but real interpretation still depends on Ten-God strength, combinations, and the full chart.
FAQ
- How do I use the BaZi Ten Gods table?
- Find your Day Master in the left column, then find the other Heavenly Stem in the top row. The cell where they meet is the Ten God relationship. For example, if your Day Master is Xin Metal and the other stem is Ren Water, the table shows Hurting Officer.
- What is Ren Water for a Xin Metal Day Master?
- For a Xin Metal Day Master, Ren Water is Hurting Officer. Xin Metal generates Water, so Ren Water belongs to the Output category. Because Xin is Yin Metal and Ren is Yang Water, the opposite polarity makes it Hurting Officer rather than Eating God.
- What is Jia Wood for a Xin Metal Day Master?
- For a Xin Metal Day Master, Jia Wood is Direct Wealth. Metal controls Wood, so Jia Wood belongs to the Wealth category. Because Xin is Yin Metal and Jia is Yang Wood, the opposite polarity makes it Direct Wealth rather than Indirect Wealth.
- What is Yi Wood for a Ji Earth Day Master?
- For a Ji Earth Day Master, Yi Wood is Seven Killings. Wood controls Earth, so Yi Wood belongs to the Officer/Killing category for Ji Earth. Because Ji is Yin Earth and Yi is Yin Wood, the same polarity makes it Seven Killings.
- What is Xin Metal for a Ji Earth Day Master?
- For a Ji Earth Day Master, Xin Metal is Eating God. Earth generates Metal, so Xin Metal belongs to the Output category. Because Ji is Yin Earth and Xin is Yin Metal, the same polarity makes it Eating God.
- Why does the same stem become different Ten Gods for different Day Masters?
- The Ten Gods are not fixed labels for each Heavenly Stem. They are relationship labels. A stem becomes a Ten God only after it is compared with the Day Master. For example, Ren Water may be Hurting Officer for Xin Metal, but it can be a Resource star, Wealth star, or another Ten God for a different Day Master.
- How are Direct and Indirect Ten Gods decided?
- Direct and Indirect stars are decided by both the Five Element relationship and Yin-Yang polarity. First, identify whether the other element generates, controls, is generated by, is controlled by, or matches the Day Master. Then compare polarity. Same polarity and opposite polarity produce different Ten Gods.
- Is the Ten Gods table enough to interpret a BaZi chart?
- No. The table only shows the basic Ten God relationship between the Day Master and another Heavenly Stem. A full BaZi reading also considers the month branch, element strength, combinations, clashes, hidden stems, luck pillars, and the position of each star in the chart.
- What should I do after finding my Ten Gods?
- After finding your Ten Gods, the next step is to read them inside the full chart: where they appear, how strong they are, and how they interact with other stems and branches. You can continue with our BaZi calculator to see the full chart and interpret the Ten Gods in context. Go to the BaZi calculator.
☯️ Use a BaZi Calculator to Find Your Ten Gods
The Ten Gods are a core layer of BaZi chart interpretation. Use a BaZi calculator to generate your full Four Pillars chart and see your Ten Gods structure, Day Master, and Five Elements balance.